Art of tree surgery.



G. E. STONE.

ART 0F TREE SURGERY. APPLlcAjlon FILED MAR. so. 191,6.

Patented Mar. 6, 11917. E

Kuvmp WITNESS V I 'A 'TTORNEK GEORGE E. STONE, or AMHEEST, MASSACHUSETTS.

ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ART TREE SURGERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.'

Application mea Marcil so, 191s. :serian No. 87,854.

To all whom z5-may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. STONE, a 'citizen of the United States of America, re-

.siding at Amherst, in the county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Tree Surgery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates vto improvements in the treatment of trees Wasted by decay so that cavities 4are formed therein, and weakened in consequence of such decay and the presence of such cavities', and resides in a new and Original process or method of4 arresting the decay of and closingr the. cavities in trees, and in the`new and. original means employed forso doing and for directing the How or movements of the callus growths or the healing tissues that 'are associated with lwounds or cavities in trees,

i all as' hereinafter -set forth.

This invention Acomprehends the reinforcement of trees weakened by decay, so

that the'decay is arrestedr and the trees are.

rendered strong enough vto withstand the elements, and to this end I employa new and novel method and-new and novel means which approach more nearly and lend themselves more naturally to the physical requirements of decayed and hollow trees and to the repair'of the same,-. than .do otherA means for a similar purpose, however or bywhatever Amethod q )p'lied-.-A My method and means Ohviates the vneed of loading and overloading tree cavities with cementitious materials, which-latter practice lis irrational,v

cumbersome, injurious, and generally unsatisfactory, as isnow a matter of common knowledge.

None of thecementitious materials that vhave beenI heretofore employedv for cavity filling or treatment, such as concrete, asphalt, etc., possesses the physicalpropervties of wood, which latter is what I use,

neither ,are such materials adapted to adjust themselves or becomeadjusted to the various and' complex movements which occur 1n' trees, and on thls account they are very objectionable.- Wood the material 'which I employ in this invention is prac-v ti'cally identical terial. The primary object of my* invention is y to provide a practicable, elicient,'and satiswith tree structure or mafactory method of and means for closing tree-cavities With Wood. 'I' arrange the wood as to utilize to the best advantage the inherent characteristics thereof and to cordinate such characteristicswith those of the tree-treated orrepaired-W-ith'said wood. In lthe attainnnit of this' object I avoid the 4need of lling cavities in trees with substances ormateria'ls that have a) tendency to`loverload them with weight which produces harmful results, and eliminate the bad effects produced by bleeding and obviate the unsightly 'discoloratioxis on tHe bark due to magnesian compoundsderived fromcement and slimelflux, resulting from the bleeding, both of which lseriously injure lthe bark of',trees and often cause the death of the same.-

The material which I use consists' of wood, as before stated, which is a lignatious material,.and this is by preference treated -chemically and is in theform of blocks.

This material possesses ak chemical compositlon and molecular arrangement, 1s -com- Patented Man-6, 1917.` j

so employ and posed of a mechanical structure, and has and geometrical arrangements. whlc'h are s1m1larand correcorresponding elements existing in trees.

The blocks are .brought into correspondence with the tree units by being so prepared or cut and arranged that they are similar to similartree units, the radial, tangential, and cross-section surfaces of A said blocks coinciding with those that exist in trees. Inother words, the cuttingand arrangement are of nature which brings the annular rings and the medullary raysv common to the blocks to coincide in general geometrical arrangement with those of' trees, causes the radial surfaces of said blocks to- -stand parallel with those .in said trees, and' locates thevtangential surfaces The material ihm;

' it renciei? She seme peeiiiiceiy Weii adapted. to mee': @he conditions incident te 'miie/se' of said blocks parailei with these er? seid trees.' ii; feliows, thereere, that the biocks Wiii be acted-upon by external influences in pizietijciliy the seme-manner :is :ire coii'espending eiemeits in trees.

employ possesses :i certain amount of rigidity, which is necessary7 but Such meei'ai is ieee rigid and more iexibie than biek, sionej or concrete, and not so plastic as other cementitieus siii)- smnces, aiiof 'which have been used heretofore in the Work 0f iiiiing ieee cavities. Weed possesses moire than :my other substance the piiysiczi properties ei these found in trees'. y

in producing my'inventien ii have taken ine censideietion eli of the movements oc earring in the issues in rees arising from vei'ieus causes, sueh esl-ehe swaying mevemems piociuee. by Wieds, emi those arising,v 'from extemei agencies such` as changes in eemperetiiie, .end the meaeiriei that i use and lehe method in'wiiieii I 'use various .mevements ami as ne other ma termi.

No@ onijr eee. movemens in trees pfoduced.-

by the Wincis and changes iiiiexnpemtnre, but else by ,ciieilges in-ieistme end baremetlei, verie'tieiiein iissue 1'zensiei1sv and @they zi'geicies, and eli ,ei-e e'eetiicliy met" or coumeiecte by the use of my nienke in ciosiiig cavitiee. i ",v Elastic eemeii is used es iequire te ciose @fissure being very Streng ami d'ieieie,

` drawings, iiiwhici. i

` showin@ tnez' objects :md evantages Wiii appear in the course of the 'eiowingdescription;

l :wenn the ebgecfns and secure the naiven tages ef my invention byaiici wi'ii izhe eid of the means illustrated iu die eccempsmymg Figuie l is en elevation ef theiewei peri;

of ii tieetrunk having e` cavity ipherein, and'` oa ciosiire 'for such eiwit, vgfhicii closure embodies e, practical 'orm of my invention, e

this :iii-:i the other views being illustrative 0f the me'eiiod as weil es ofthe means; Fw.

2, :i -ciess secion taken, imv linesQ--Z ironie;

ing rimini, in 1; '3, ciess-seeiieii somewhat similar to tiievpreeed 'iig View, bei: :i mociiicai'ieii. of ehe ceviizy closure 'iiinstizi te the incomplete portiQu', because ii entg'emce imi behind it.

mese eiiweiiceiieree, weed beckswiiie i vbeve been met in geneibei ceiif0iririis3. i". 1.

coisruciicn eipeeriiig in seid View; i :i pespecizive View ci (me ei?. the iaioci i in iiie ferm ef eiosui'e.; Fig. 59 speetive Viewei' iw@ ei' iiae b'iocis mid ef die Veigicei iee iieeii iii 'Mie ci closure, and, 6, e. eiess-see,

g siiii ziiietiie i'iefiiiiee'iiom in l peiiymns oi ree-Mem' bieken mit it eppesite Siciee e: :imi the .intervening iiieeie ere iii 5. 'the bettei i@ show the eeieriietielfi Simiiei ieiei'eiice iviumei'eis riesigem im imite fciiroisgiioili'. the sei/emi vie iii iiie firziwings treefiiimis we sented iii, i, 23, :md 1i, :imi carviies the 5, mici "Z7 respectively, Whiie i3? 1i represent specimens of' 'weed required number of which is useii given cese. It is 'miie assumed iiiai. blocks have been *treated Wiiiii e pi tive, und that such blocks ifi-amie i' mis sizesv imei'siiepes ziccemiiiig ze ments :mii in ercieiltiizii, iiiey muy ne ii moet evziiitegee'usiy; ailieii *if* blocks wiii" have 2i genei'eiiy eff mately 'eetengiiiei siia'pe. is. weil known, e iiee geiitiai, emi ei'ess-sectin surfaces, of ziiese evztendi'ng frein theeeeivv e: warfi iie circiimifeieice @if se, seeemi angeiiei exteififiiiig i. o gies ei" ai, mi angie te isiie izidiiii :me ciossseetien being e hoize'iiei siiiece which :me ciisciieyec'i the emissie? meduiieryy es epresenzed ie iie maks i, 3, imei i, in 'Figst 2, 3 ami of he ei ,if -Bi '9, and i0' is se cm, 'fi 'may be i itioned iii-*bile iee Wiii e' sections et iiietop :md beieni @if si m horizontal iike these' of che ieee, 5i sides of siichblock radiating (in dii ew' from the Centex' of the tieefand iiie tim 'tial sides of such biock standing iii ruig t relation to said redini sides und ijiieuiside l() cavity, of the circumference 0fl the iti-0e, im iirthermere, se that siieh block may be :.5 iaiiy positioned reiziivc to another 'miem genereliy iike cl'iai'aetei'isiicsemi :uiziii mene. @ne taigentiai surface-0f each ei* biecis 8, 9,- :md Gis :it vibe-.front si' other tangential surface behind, wh radici surfaces of each of sxiiri. biecie 9 :we contiguous ie vciber .rbi'oci's er im. f Meek :md-one ysident". edgeei iecnvifcy trance, eccorciing te ioczitienl'mfeie hoif-iimn ieiiew er iziieiwifiel icks-l Nenefoi" the geometrical arrangement of the elements or structural units of the tree, arranging said blocks in said cavity withl their cross-'sections inscorrespond'ence with each other and with the tree' structure, their radial sides "radial to the tree, and their tangential sides outwardly and inwardly disposed. These the'closure of blocks is located behind these y be put in place.

inturned edges, as shown in the last view.

The blocks 8 and 3 have transverse top and bottom grooves 12 therein, "to receive horizontal supporting rods 13 and angle-irons or brackets 14 which I prefer to employl when the,wall is to be built between the edges of the cavity, and said blocks 9 have also vertical .grooves 15 in opposite sides to receive rods 16V that may be added to strengthen the structure. A

Before closing either the cavity 5 or 6 the edges or sides of the entrance thereto are cut away to Whatever extent may be necessary, as indicated at v17--17 in Fig. 2 and at 18-418 in Fig. 3, and oppositely disposed vertical grooves or slots 19 are cutv in said sides at the proper heights, each of said slots having an approximately horizontal bottom, parallel front and back sides, and a tapering orcurved side or inner end thatv extends upwardly from the inner end of said bottom and out to the side of said entrance through which the slot opens. The brackets 14 are arranged in' pairs in either cavity entrance, with two of the arms of those in each pair'extending toward each other, and the other two arms `fastened either to the sides 17 -or the sides 18, as the case may be, in some suitable manner, as by means of staples 20. The brackets' 14 are placed inposition and secured behind the slots 19. ljThe rods 13 are located in front of the brackets 14 with the ends of said rods in the slots` 19 and resting on the bottoms of said slots. dimensions as to permit the rods 13 to be placed in position, and to this end one of said slots .in each pair may be cut deeper at the base into the tree than the other slot in such pair, as best shown in Fig. 1 wherein the right-hand slot extends far enough into the tree-trunk 1. to enable the rod to Ihe rods 1 3 and the contiguous arms of the brackets 14 are fastened together in any suitable manner, as by means of sleeves 21. In Such portions of the cavity entrance which are too narrowr The slots 19must be of such for the brackets 14 to be employed they will be omitted and onl the rods 13 used. The grooves 12 in the locks 8 and 9 are wide enough -to receive not only the rods 13, but the arms of the brackets 14 with v which said rods are connected.

In closing the spacebetween the prepared si'des 17 -of the'entrance to 'the cavity `5 in the tree-trunk 1, the blocks 8 are built up in such space and fitted to saidsides, tier upon tier,

with th'e rods 13 and the front arms of the brackets 14 between 'the tiers in the grooves 12, until such space is closed. The rodsl lock the blocks 8 together,rsince vthe lov-ver half of each rod lies in the grooves 12 in the. tops of the blocks under'such rod and the upper half of such rod lies in the grooves. 12 inthe bottoms of the .blocks above the rod.y In this manner and by this means I vobtain a strong, durable, and stable structure; Usually the rods 13 are bowed to sis' some extent, with their convexity outward, l' so as to give a greater or less lateral cong vexity to the closure on the exterior.

The crevices in and around the block cloy sure are lled with elastic cement, which renders said closure water-tight and provides whatever additional flexibility and compressibility may be required. The elastic cement lling between the Sides 17 and the adjacent parts of the block closure is represented at 22-22 in Fig. 2, but is omitted from Fig. 1-. Similar filling also appears in Fig. 3. It is necessary to cut the end blocks in each tier to whatever extent may be re quired in order that suchblocks shall conform to the longitudinal dimensions of adjacent portions of thesides 17, and the* saine thing is true with regard to the blocks' 9. The closure in Fig. 3, which is constructed with the blocks 9., aside from ItheV longer blocks use'dland the' presence therein of the The; building up operation commences at the grooves 15diiiers from that previously deto the strength-and stabilityof the structure in which 'they are used.A Theblocks .3

Vand the rods 16 may be employed for the lowerportion of a closure the upper 'portion of which is made up of the blocks 8.

Additional' Strength may be provided for the closure by anchoringthe same to the tree-trunk behind in a Way to resist4 any force tending to thrust said closureout- 'with which tlio tie-rods are Wardly. 'lo lig. 2 l shew s1 means in the form of a pair tie-rod. i n eye-bolt or a bolt 24: prevailed with ring being; eut away to admit the. tiered, ami

hooked over or otherwise attached at "te: front end to the adjacent red The bolt 2li is inserted in an opening; 'bored through tlie'liaclmsido ol the tree-trunk i, with the ring 25 inside et said tree-Munk, and tlie inner end ot the tie-rods 23 are l'vooled into or otherwise attached te mit l is screwed oxito'tlie real 'f .f ot the bolt l and tiggiiteiie-il against the imola et the treo-trunk until the i M tension is produeed oie the parte, incliidii i red l* oiiiieeti l. ieee anchorage members ar apprese mately horizontal, and there may as man3.' sets, oi'io above tlie ether, au e needed to tiertlie closure to the 'ee behind. This doviee is used wlieii the cavity entrance .is very wide, or for siicli pai-ts oi? llie closure occupy the videl perdons of a eavity ezitrance which may be narrow in other porti i the eicairiile i isti-ated iii last viera `tlie blocks l0 are built 'up behind @lic iiiturned of the opening to the eavity 'Y in the trcetroil; 44,. wliieli ed;

end portions of said blocks. l0 are laid up iii 'the cav 711 ley are secured and braced against the surfaces 2T by tlie blocks 'll Wliieli are iiitrorfiueed etweeii said blocks l0 and Ytlie back sidev 'oit said cavityi l prefer to ari-elige tile brace blocks ll, so fai' as e'asible, with their geometrical structure in agreement witli'tliat oi; the tree and blocks l0, for the saine reason that l follow this course with tlie exterior closure blocks. llie entrance to the '.iavity is oom pletely cles d by tile bloelis 1G:

le' alleasis wliete possible oiiits liloelts.

-lllie healing tissue et the tree grows onto the face of the closure Quilt luto sueli tree, from the exterior edges of tl'ie cavity-open.- ieg, it iieing understood that the 'front of suoli closure 'in no ease project beyond the corresponding edges of the wood oilE the tree, and eventually suoli tissue axiiitlie bark may cover said closure face.

ln preparing any "o vitv 'for its closure,

the bark slioiild be cut heel: a little Way from are thoroughly' and entirely` cleared of demeans for giving' effect to or carrying out the niet-lied, well as the method itself.

What is'irxeant by the terms radial, and tangential applied tothe surfaces of my wood blocks, and mi employed liereilraiid-in the claims, may explained as follows: litlier radial surface of a blockis one which coincides oiis parallel with, approximately, aline extending 'from the pitli or center of the tree fi-oir: 'which suela block.' is out, to the bark' or exterior et suoli tree, and either tnnge l siiriace of suoli bloei; is one which is substa surface of said line.

rlf'liat l claim my invention, and desire to secure by Letters llatei'it, is-

l. ln tree surgery, a Cavity closure comprisiigg a plurality of )cut Wood blocks a1'- witli tl-ieu: cross-section surfacesabuttiiig aiid Witli their radial surfaces abuttiiifr. f f

y, a cavity closure comy 'of cut wood blocks ari cross-section surfaces i x radial surfaces abutting, to fasi' i1 said blocks to a tree. 3, lat-ree surgery, a plurality of trans versely grooved blocks, roce receivable in the grooves iii said blocks, brackets extending into said grooves and having arms which i are adapted to attached to the sides of a tree caifity, between suoli sides and adjacent parte. of said blocks, and means to 'fasten said iods to seid brackets Within said grooves.

4l. le tree surgery, a plurality ot transversely groove IBlocks, rods receivable iii the bloc-lts andiaviiig'tlieir ends moves in said extended loef/"ond suoli plurality ot blocks and adapted to enter slots iii the sides of a tree cavity, brackets having; arms which are adapted to attached tothe sides of said cavity, between suoli sides and adjacent parts of said blocks, arid means to fasten said rods l brackets Within said grooves.

5. tree surgery, a cavity closure domprisiig a pluralit'v of blocks arranged with their etosssection surfaces andA their radial respectively .in abutting relation,

sei d iii-eolie 'having grooves in their cross-sec tion surfaces, which grooves extend between said radial surfaces 'of such blocksand torni eliatanels, and rods in suoli channels to supportsaid blocks and lool?N them togetlieiz 6. la tree surgei'y, a eavity closure c0m- -@rising @plurality of blocks arranged-With.

ziiy at ifiglit-arigles to the radial i their cross-section surfaces and their radial surfaces respectively in abuttingr relation, said blocks having grooves in their crosssection surfaces, which grooves extend between said radial surfaces of such blocks and form channels, and said blocks also having grooves in said radial surfaces, which last-mentioned grooves extend between said erosssection surfaces and form channels, and rods in both sets'of said channels.

7.y In tree surgery, a cavity closure comprising a plurality of blocks arranged with -their cross-section surfaces and their radial surfaces respectively in abutting relation, said blocks having grooves 1n then' radial surfaces, which grooves extend between said supporting rod.

GEORGE E. STONE. Witnesses:

F. A. CUTTER, A. C. FAIRBANKS. 

